|
home /
home
library /
exterior projects /
exterior
painting - before you begin
Exterior Painting - Before you Begin
Several things should be taken into consideration
before painting the exterior of your home. You need to carefully
analyze the areas that need to be painted, figure out how
much paint and what kind of paint will be needed, consider
the type of materials that make up the exterior of your
home and the condition they are in, and lastly make sure
your home is ready for a professional painter to perform
the job.
Prior to painting the exterior of your
home, you should take the time to walk around your house
and write down everything that needs to be done. You may
find that certain repairs need to be made or that certain
materials require special attention. Perhaps the caulking
on your house is peeling and particular areas are being
invested by mildew. These are areas that need your attention
before you begin to paint.
Make sure you know what type of materials
make up your home's exterior. Generally the exterior of
a home will be made from wood, stucco, aluminum siding,
vinyl siding, metal, or brick. Often times, your exterior
will consist of more than just one of these materials. Before
painting, take note of the condition of these materials
and make any necessary repairs.
Once you have made repairs and analyzed
everything that needs to be done, you should begin by power
washing your home. Cleaning the house with a power wash
will ensure good adhesion for the new paint and remove and
loose materials and old paint. During this time, it is also
a good idea to apply a prime coat to any raw wood areas.
Last but not least, you will need to purchase
the right kind of paint and the proper amount of paint.
Manufacturers realize that oil based paints don't work as
well as they once did, and technologies have developed new
latex paints to make up for what oil based paints lack.
Low-sheen or semi-gloss enamels are popular these days because
they are easier to keep clean. Keep in mind; paint will
cover between 200-350 square feet per gallon.
When painting the exterior of your home,
it is extremely important to take into consideration the
environment which surrounds you. Consider trees, shrubs,
and the color schemes of your neighbor's homes. Everything
surrounding your home will have an affect on how well your
color scheme works for you.
Also, don't forget to consider the fixed
colors of your home such as the roof, stonework and brick.
You want to choose a color that enhances theses fixed elements.
Also, take into consideration the architecture of your home
when picking out colors.
|
